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10 Works of Art You Need to See Before You Die by Ted Field

I saw a blog article by Jonathan Jones entitled "The works of art that matter most". It is a list of 10 works of art that you need to see before you die. I thought this might make for some interesting conversation. What are your top ten? Here is the of Mr. Jones, with my choices included as well.

1. Jones : Jan van Eyck, The Madonna of Chancellor Rolin, Musée du Louvre, Paris (image)
Field : Michelangelo, The Creation of Adam, Sistine Chapel, Rome (image)
I love the painting by Van Eyck, the detail is extraordinary. But to me the work of art that everyone needs to see is the Creation of Adam. The miracle of this work is that in the jumble of flesh that is the Sistine Chapel, the essence of who we are is contained in the space between the outstretched fingers of God and Adam. At that very moment he is still an animal, but you can almost feel the divine spark jump from God creating the first human.

2. Jones : Caravaggio, The Burial of St. Lucy, Museo di Palazzo Bellomo, Syracuse, Sicily (image)
Field : Caravaggio, The Deposition from the Cross, The Vatican Museum, Rome (image)
Whereas the Creation of Adam is eternal, miraculous, the Deposition is real, and earthly. What makes this painting so amazing to me is the look that Nicodemus gives the viewer. Just that glance, as if we have interrupted this moving moment is chilling.

3. Jones : Rembrandt, Aristotle with a Bust of Homer, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (image)
4. Field : Lajuwa the Usurper, Ife, Nigeria (image)
As we learn more about ancient African cultures, the beauty and understanding of non-western art increases. The bust of Lajuwa is astounding because it demonstrates the sensitivity of African art. The story goes that Lajuwa stole the Yoruba crown. But tradition dictates that all portrayals of the king be honest and without social commentary. The delicate treatment of the face is exquisite.

5. Jones : San Rock Art, South African National Museum, Cape Town (image)
Field : Nazca Line Drawings, Peru (image)
There is much about these drawings that is unbelievable. First, their size. These simple images are enormous and cover acres. Their designs cannot be fully captured except by air - which leads to another whole discussion that I won't get into. And second, most of these drawings were created by turning over the top layer of rock to expose the darker earth underneath. This area is so dry that the images have remained visible for over 1000 years!

6. Jones : Paul Cézanne, Mont Sainte-Victoire from Les Lauves, Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow (image)
Field : Monet, Waterlilies, Orangerie, Paris (image)
I will be the first to admit that I am not a huge fan of impressionism. In fact, when I went into the Orangerie I was not expecting to be dazzled. Boy was I wrong. This work cannot be explained but must be experienced.

7. Jones : Michelangelo, Moses, Church of San Pietro in Vincoli, Rome (image)
Field : Bernini, Apollo and Daphne, Borghese Museum, Rome (image)
I love Michelangleo. And of his sculptures I would rank David ahead of Moses. But for sheer virtuosity, Bernini's Apollo and Daphne can't be beat. As Daphne tries to escape Apollo, she is turned into a laurel tree. Each delicately carved leaf is enough to make you drool.

8. Jones : Leonardo da Vinci, The Adoration of the Magi, Uffizi Gallery, Florence (image)
Field : Leonardo da Vinci, Madonna of the Rocks, Louvre, Paris (image)
When you stand in front of the Madonna of the Rocks it looks as if it is lit from within.

9. Jones : Pablo Picasso, Guernica, Reina Sofia Museum, Madrid (image)
Field : Pable Picasso, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, MOMA, New York (image)
This is the painting that started it all. Since the Renaissance, no one had dealt with space the way Picasso did. He shatters the glass ceiling and releases 20th Century art with ambiguous backgrounds and African influences.

10. Jones : Velázquez, Las Meninas, Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid (image)
Field : Velázquez, Pope Innocent X, Galleria Doria Pamphili, Rome (image)
This was a tough one. And probably Las Meninas is the more important painting. But the portrait of Pope Innocent X is harrowing to me. The look is sly and coniving. Pope Innocent X was compared to an evil lawyer, even in his own day. Yet, somehow, Velazquez got the Pope to accept this painting. It is an amazingly emotion and intellectual work, and is considered one of the greatest portraits of all time.

Harvest Report 2007 : Italy

As we reported in the French Harvest Report below, 2007 will be remembered as having one of the earliest and leanest grape harvests in the past 30 years. The Union of Italian Winemakers said that grape picking began some 15-20 days ahead of normal due to a massive heat wave and drought this summer. But take heart wine drinkers, the reduce yields and lack of rain can mean superior quality wine with higher than average alcohol.

Local sources have noted that Nothern and Southern Italy have had dramatically different experiences. In the north the yield is essentially normal. The best qualtiy appears to be in Northeast in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Tuscany appears to be good not great, but growers are not even that optimistic in Piedmont, makers of Italy's premier wines. A hail storm on May 29 ravaged the vineyards in the heart of the Barolo producing region. They are keeping their fingers crossed and are anticipating low alcohol and high acidity in the Nebbiolo grapes.

The South has fared significantly worse. The makers of some of Italy's best bargain wines have had a horrific summer. The drought of 2007 has left the vines withered and leafless. Enologist Riccardo Cotarella said that it looks more like January than August in some vineyards. So for them it is a waiting game. Overall not very good news coming out of Italy - now it is up to the artistry of the winemaker.

Sweet Tea Brined Pork Chops

Brining is a method that is most often associated with turkeys at Thanksgiving. But don't wait until November to try it out. Seek out recipes for brining. Some of our favorites use everything from bourbon to Coca-Cola! Here is one that we found that uses sweetened tea. This recipe comes from the Magnolia Grill in Durham, N.C. For more information on that restaurant, click here.

1 quart water
2 orange pekoe tea bags, preferably Luzianne or Lipton
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon molasses
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
6 whole allspice berries
6 whole cloves
4 cloves garlic, mashed flat with the back of a knife
4 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs rosemary
1 bay leaf, preferably fresh
2 cups ice
4 (10 to 12 ounce) bone in pork loin chops

In a large pot over medium high heat, combine the water, tea bags, salt, molasses, onion, coriander, peppercorns, allspice, cloves, garlic, thyme, rosemary and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Transfer to a sealable container. Add ice and let cool to room temperature.

Remove tea bags. Add pork chops, seal and refrigerate for 24 hours. Remove the pork chops from the brine. Pat dry with paper towels; set aside at room temperature while preheating the grill.

Prepare a charcoal fire using about 6 pounds of charcoal and burn until the coals are completely covered with a thin coating of light gray ash, 20 to 30 minutes. Spread the coals evenly over the grill bottom, position the grill rack above the coals, and heat until medium-hot (when you can hold your hand 5 inches above the grill surface for no longer than 3 or 4 seconds). Or, for a gas grill, turn on all burners to high, close the lid and heat until very hot, 10 to 15 minutes.

Place the pork chops on the prepared grill and cook until an instant-read thermometer reaches 145 degrees, 5 to 7 minutes per side.

Top Ten Fall Travel Destinations

Fall travel has a lot to offer, beautiful colors of nature, newly harvested grapes, and internationls locations not burdened to the brim with tourits. MSNBC.com chose their ten top destinations for fall travel and here they are, with a little input from A Big Slice.

1. Florence
There is no denying the importance of this city to Western Culture. The home of Renaissance giants, and (in my opinion) the world's greatest collection of paintings. (true the Louvre is a greater museum overall, but together, the Pitti and the Uffizi will offer you room after room of the "biggies"). If you are in Tuscany, please visit the vineyards of Chianti and the spectacular Brunello di Montelcino. Also be sure and see the wonderful frescoes by Masaccio in the church of Santa Maria del Carmine, and the tombs of Michelangelo and Galileo (among others) in the church of Santa Croce. (We love Florence - but I would choose Rome over Florence any day of the week)

2. Great Smoky Mountains
Yes indeed! There is nothing like it.

3. Marrakesh
We can't really comment on this one.

4. Munich
If you are planning on going for Oktoberfest, be aware that it begins in September! But this festival is quintessential Autumn. See our Oktoberfest menu here.

5. Napa Valley
Better yet, visit your local wineries!!! They deserve your patronage, and you might just be surprised. Learn what your state has to offer and go with an open mind. Remember that California wines used to be thought of as inferior to the grand European varieties. We recently returned from Providence, Rhode Island and completed a tour of the wineries there. OK, red wine is not their thing. But they had some wonderful whites that were crisp and clean as the air.

6. New England
If fall is as wonderful as late summer, you are in for a treat!

7. New York
We all love New York, but once again, think about looking locally. Your region may not be able to offer the scale and spectacle of New York, but you will be supporting local culture. Decide on what you would have done in New York, and do a similar excursion in your town. Check out a play, go to the museum, see a monument! See your town from a visitor's perspective.

8. Provence
Get away from it all and live French. Don't book a hotel, stay in a gite. These homes are classed and priced according to the amenities and locations. Most are an incredible value and offer you an experience far beyond the average inn. Click here for more information.

9. San Francisco
One of the world's loveliest cites. If you were debating... nix LA and head for San Francisco.

10. Shanghai
Never been, but we want to.

Wine and Oral Health

Wine seems to have all sorts so of benefits. We have already mentioned the positive research involving wine and altzhemier's, and wine and kidneys in this blog. Well now it seems that wine might make you a better kisser. Well, ok, there is no proof that wine makes you a better kisser - but there is evidence that it will make you a more responsible kisser.

A study out of the University of Pavia in Italy (and we all know about the passionate Italians) has shown that both red and white wine may help stop the spread of some bacteria associated with tooth decay and sore throats.

Interestingly, is was not the alcohol in the wine that was acting as the anti-microbial agent, as Maria Daglia and her team discovered. They separted wine into its chemical components and determined that the organic acids in wine, some from the grape itself, and some produced during fermentation, were the most effective in killing the bacteria.

So kiss away vinophiles! Maybe next time my dentist will offer me a drink instead of a new toothbrush!

Inland Seafood and Quality Wine and Spirits Show

On Monday, September 10, I attended one of the best wine and expos ever! The show was co-hosted by Inland Seafoods (click here for more information), and Quality Wine and Spirits (click here for more information). The show is aimed at the hospitality industry and features a winde range of food (and not just seafood) and spirits (and not just wine).

Everyone that I met was extremely nice and well-informed about their products, with a special shout out to Moto Vino, (click here). Mr. Pennington took the time to explain his delicious wines in detail as my host and I strolled past his table.

A Big Slice would also like to thank Vickey Murphy for including us in her invitation. It was a spectacular event and we are already looking forward to next year.

September 11, A Day of Good Deeds

It could be as simple as greeting everyone you meet with a heartfelt smile and a warm handshake, or as grand as rebuilding a home destroyed by a tornado, but many are deciding to memorialize those killed on 9/11 by doing something good for others.

"It was the worst possible day imaginable, and in some ways, a remarkable day, too, in the way in which people responded," says David Paine, cofounder of myGoodDeed.org. "We need to rekindle the way we came together in the spirit of 9/11: It would be almost as much a tragedy to lose that lesson."

It is the goal of mygooddeed.org to turn September 11 into a day dedicated to doing good. A way of reminding Americans of the joy of giving that has, at its heart, a story of courage and heroism. Glenn Winuk was a volunteer fireman and lawyer who worked a block from the World Trade Center. He helped to evacuate his law office before grabbing a medic's bag and heading over to the towers. After the towers collapsed, his remains were found there at the site. David Paine and Glenn's brother Jay decided that the best way to memorialize Glenn was through a day dedicated to good works.

Visit mygooddeed.org and make your pledge, simple or grand, it's all about the act.

Goodbye Ms. L'Engle

When I was in elementary school, my teacher read Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time to the class. I was mesmerized. In my mind I was Charles Wallace on the adventure of a lifetime. It was the first book I ever purchased with my own money and I can't tell you how many times I have read it since.

So it is with great sadness that I write about the passing of Ms. L'Engle, the woman who planted the seed of my love of reading. She was 88 years old when she died of natural causes at the nursing home in which she had been living for the past three years.

A Wrinkle in Time was her masterpiece. It was published in 1963 and went on to win the John Newbery Medal as the best children's book of that year. So far it has sold over 8 million copies and is in its 69th printing.

But for those of you out there trying to achieve your dream, take note! This classic was rejected by 26 publishers and its mix of science fiction and myth has made it one of the most banned books in the United States. Ms. L'Engle took it in stride. “It seems people are willing to damn the book without reading it,” Ms. L’Engle said in an interview with The New York Times in 2001. “Nonsense about witchcraft and fantasy. First I felt horror, then anger, and finally I said, ‘Ah, the hell with it.’ It’s great publicity, really.”

Thank you Ms. L'Engle. And take heart dreamers, keep striving!

For the full New York Times article, click here.

If you would like to purchase A Wrinkle in Time, click here.

Wine and Kidney Health

If you are a light to moderate wine drinker, then more good heath news awaits. A recent study has shown moderate consumption of wine has been linked to a lower risk of kidney cancer when compared to those who abstain.

The report comes from researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston based on 12 studies on more than 750,000 men and women. Those subjects who had at least one drink a day showed a 28% lower risk of getting renal cancer.

Perhaps the most interesting finding was that protection was directly related to the amount of wine drunk. Those who drank half a glass a day showed a 3% lower risk, those who drank one glass a day showed a 18% lower risk, and those who drank one and a half glasses a day showed a 28% lower risk of developing renal cancer.

Although the reasons for this protection are not completely understood, it appears that alcohol may improve insulin sensitivity and work as an antioxidant. It is thought that this allows the body to clear our the potentially cancer causing elements in the kidneys. But they stopped short of extending the results further with heavier drinker as there were few heavy drinkers in the study.

To read the full article, click here.

New Grape in Town, Marselan

There is a new grape that has been gaining in popularity in France and is just now becoming available to American markets. The grape is called Marselan after the small French town of Marseillan. The grape variety, itself, is really not all that new. It was first bred in 1961 and is a cross between Cabernet Sauvignon and Granache. But the first varietal wine was not produced until 2002. Now five wineries, all of which are located in Languedoc, are producing Marselan. The present style is quite different from what wine drinkers might expect from a Cabernet. The wine is medium bodied and unoaked and from initial reports quite fruity. California is beginning to plant Marselan as well, mostly in the North Coast appellations.

If you have tasted a Marselan, please let me know your evaluation.

For the complete Wine Spectator Article click here.